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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · spell · bank · branch · wax · suit · stand · track

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. bank — of a river
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. stand — to bear
  7. suit — to fit
  8. spell — a short time
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wax — to grow
  11. suit — clothes
  12. suit — in cards
  13. spell — magic
  14. bank — for money
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. track — to keep track
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. track — a song
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. bank — for money
  21. track — a path
  22. branch — a division
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. spell — letters

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com